This invention relates to a device for teaching and more particularly to a teaching device which utilizes invisible ink technology.
Recently issued patents to Skinner U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,363,336, 3,336,337, 3,363,338, 3,516,177 and 3,650,046 disclose various methods and devices for teaching that utilize invisible ink technology. The methods for teaching and the devices disclosed in these prior art patents are very suitable for their intended purposes.
Generally, such devices provide for an inquiry to be made either in writing or orally. The student then makes a response to the inquiry in a designated response area. The response is made by the student utilizing a special invisible ink activator which cooperates with invisible ink printed in the response area on a work sheet. Teaching systems have been developed which utilize the invisible ink technology to reinforce or assist in the learning process. These systems are discussed in greater detail in the above-identified patents.
With the use of invisible ink, it is also possible to provide the student with a confirmation of the correctness of his answer. That is, the student may indicate his answer at one portion of the work sheet and subsequently activate invisible ink printing to determine the correctness of his response. In this manner, the student achieves immediate feedback informing himself of the correctness of his answer to the inquiry and also indicating learning problem areas or serving to reinforce his confidence as he continues with his lesson. Unfortunately, some students activate the confirmation prior to providing their own answer to the inquiry.
Nonetheless, it is still desirable to provide the student with immediate confirmation of the correctness of his answer. Thus, some device or method is needed to encourage the student to provide his own answer before attempting to confirm that answer. One method has been suggested by Skinner in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,046. The present invention provides another method and device to encourage the student to respond to inquiries in an order which will promote the student's learning process.